Resolutions of the General Assembly and Commission on Human Rights; reports by the Secretary-General and the Special Rapporteur on Myanmar; written statements by NGOs; reports with references to Myanmar by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Special Rapporteur on toxic wastes, Special Rapporteur on Torture, Report of the High Commissioner on human rights and mass exoduses, Report of the Secretary-General on the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, Report of the Secretary-General on the national practices related to the right to a fair trial.

Summary:
"The present report, submitted pursuant to paragraph 16 of General Assembly
resolution
68/242
, covers the period from 11 August 2013 to 6 August
2014. During
the reporting period, Myanmar continued the reform agenda while the country geared
up for the 2015 elections. Parliament enacted fresh laws reflecting popular needs and
ensuring popular accountability. Efforts continued for a nationwide cease
fire and for
building the framework for a political dialogue. The tension in Rakhine did not
lessen, causing widespread concern and alarm both domestically and internationally.
Myanmar assumed the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
on 1 January 2014. The United Nations continued its wide
-
ranging engagement with
and provision of support to Myanmar."

Summary:
"The present report, submitted pursuant
to paragraph 21 of General Assembly
resolution
67/233
, covers the period from 25 August 2012 to 10 August 2013. During
that period, Myanmar witnessed dramatic changes as the reform measures initiated in
2011 continued to be pursued through the building of new institutions and the
enactment of new laws in active sessions
of the national parliament and regional
assemblies, while steady progress was ach
ieved in national reconciliation through
negotiations with erstwhile ethnic armed groups and encouragement of the voluntary
return and resettlement of displaced p
opulations. The Government carried out a
series of reform measures aimed at transforming the economy into an increasingly
market-oriented economy, opened new sector
s to foreign investment and trade and
introduced measures to ensure greater transparency and to combat corruption. As the
country’s engagements with the outside world expanded widely, new challenges
arose. The increased communal tensions and violent incidents around the country
raised doubts as to whether they could undermine the reform process under way. The
United Nations continued its wi
de-ranging engagement with and provision of support
to Myanmar"

Summary:
"The present report is submitted pursuant to paragraph 32 of General Assembly
resolution 66/230 and covers the period from August 2011 to July 2012. It has been a
remarkable year of promise and change in Myanmar. Building on its initial efforts in
the first half of 2011, the new civilian Government headed by President Thein Sein
undertook dramatic and significant reform measures to consolidate democracy by
building new institutions; enacting new laws in active sessions of the national
parliament and regional assemblies; reaching out to various ethnic groups to promote
peace and national reconciliation through inclusive consultation, and encouraging the
voluntary return and resettlement of displaced populations; releasing significant
numbers of political prisoners, including some of the most prominent figures; and
taking measures to carry out economic reforms aimed at transforming the largely
centralized economy into an increasingly market-oriented one that is open to foreign
investment and trade. The changed political environment, following the meeting
between President Thein Sein and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in August 2011, resulted
in the revision of the electoral laws that has enabled the National League for
Democracy to return to the electoral fold after more than 20 years and to
convincingly win 43 of the 45 seats in the by-election held on 1 April 2012. The past
year has also witnessed a step change in the engagement between Myanmar and the
international community. The member States of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) agreed to Myanmar’s hosting of the 2014 ASEAN summit. In the
same period, the resumption of high-level bilateral engagement with Myanmar by the
United States of America, the European Union and other interested countries brought
about major shifts in their policies, including the review, suspension or lifting of
their sanctions against Myanmar. With the United Nations, there was a new
expansion in relations that enabled engagement on the normalization of restricted
programmes and greater cooperation with the various agencies of the Organization in
support of the country’s all-round political and socioeconomic development and in
meeting humanitarian needs. I visited Myanmar from 29 April to 1 May 2012, which
was my third visit to the country as Secretary-General."

Summary:
"The present report is submitted pursuant to paragraph 30 of General Assembly
resolution 65/241 and covers the period from 26 August 2010 to 4 August 2011.
During the reporting period, the remaining steps of the political road map led by the
State Peace and Development Council were implemented, namely, the holding of
general elections on 7 November 2010; the convening of the new Parliament in
January 2011; and the transfer of power from the Council to the new Government on
30 March 2011. In the process, the Council was officially dissolved. On
13 November 2010, one week after the election, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was
released after seven years of house arrest."

Summary:
"The present report is submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution
64/238 and covers the period from 26 August 2009 to 25 August 2010. Upon the
reassignment of Ibrahim Gambari on 1 January 2010, I designated my Chef de
Cabinet, Vijay Nambiar, as Special Adviser to oversee the good offices mandate.
Since my last visit to Myanmar in July 2009, there have been some signs of
flexibility from the Myanmar authorities in response to my proposals, such as the
release, on 17 September 2009, of over 130 political prisoners as part of a broader
amnesty. However, the detention of other political prisoners and the continued house
arrest of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi remain of grave concern. It is regrettable that
further opportunities to advance meaningful political dialogue among key
stakeholders have not been pursued.
Throughout the reporting period, continuous efforts were made to engage the
Myanmar authorities and key stakeholders, in order to pursue the objectives of the
good offices mandate. However, the Government, has not extended an invitation to my
Special Adviser to engage further with the authorities and other concerned parties in
the country since my last visit. This lack of meaningful engagement is disappointing. It
is also a lost opportunity for Myanmar. Member States have an interest and
responsibility to actively ensure that Myanmar extends the necessary cooperation.
The upcoming elections, the country’s first in 20 years, present a major test of
the prospects of peace, democracy and prosperity in the country. Myanmar’s senior
leaders have made repeated statements of commitment to free and fair elections. The
Government has issued electoral laws, appointed an 18-member Union Electoral
Commission and announced an election date of 7 November 2010. As at 25 August,
the Commission had approved the registration of 42 out of 47 political parties to
contest the elections, including 5 of the 10 parties that had contested the 1990
elections and had re-registered. While this suggests that political space may have
opened up by the standards of the past two decades, it is all the more necessary for
the authorities to ensure that the elections are conducted in an inclusive, credible,
participatory and transparent manner. In this regard, I reiterate my call for the release
of all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, as the clearest signal of
such commitments.
During the reporting period, the Special Adviser exerted efforts to engage at the
senior level with relevant United Nations offices, such as the interdepartmental
working group on Myanmar, where a number of system-wide priorities were
identified. The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
continued a wide-ranging policy dialogue with the Government aimed at addressing
the country’s developmental priorities and challenges. The United Nations country
team and the Government reached agreement on a two-year joint humanitarian
initiative on Northern Rakhine State. Two years after the establishment of the
Tripartite Core Group mechanism by the Government, the United Nations and the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), its mandate was concluded on
31 July 2010, with recognition and gratitude expressed by the Myanmar authorities.
Myanmar must make progress in overcoming its twin legacies of political
deadlock and armed conflict. Addressing the parallel challenges of respect for human
rights, national reconciliation and democratization is an essential goal that remains to
be fulfilled. It is critical to pursue dialogue and cooperation among all stakeholders,
as well as greater political, social and economic openness.
I am committed to continuing cooperation with the Government and people of
Myanmar to enable their efforts to make a successful transition to a credible civilian
and democratic Government. Myanmar stands to benefit greatly from the wideranging
experiences of the United Nations and its efforts to assist in the humanitarian
and socio-economic areas. I reiterate my call for unity of purpose and unity of action
among key interested Member States, regional entities, multilateral development
actors and international financial institutions, to encourage all domestic stakeholders
to contribute to positive change in the national interest of Myanmar."

Language:

English (also available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish)

Summary:
The present report is submitted pursuant to paragraph 6 of General Assembly
resolution 62/222. On 22 May 2007, the Secretary-General designated his Special
Adviser on the International Compact with Iraq and Other Political Issues and former
Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Ibrahim Gambari, to continue to
pursue the good offices on his behalf. During the reporting period, from 23 October
2007 to 5 September 2008, the Special Adviser visited Myanmar three times at the
invitation of the Government, in November 2007, March 2008 and August 2008. On
each visit, the Special Adviser was able to engage with representatives of both the
Government of Myanmar and the opposition.
During his visits and in all his discussions with representatives of the
Government, opposition and other stakeholders, the Special Adviser continued his
efforts on behalf of the Secretary-General to promote national reconciliation, the
restoration of democracy and respect for human rights in Myanmar, in accordance
with the objectives of relevant General Assembly resolutions. To that end, the
Special Adviser focused on the following five key areas of concern to the United
Nations and the international community, as endorsed by the Group of Friends of the
Secretary-General and in the Security Council: (a) the release of all political
prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; (b) the need for an enhanced,
substantive and time-bound dialogue between the Government and Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi; (c) the need for an inclusive and credible political transition process to
civilian and democratic government; (d) avenues for improving socio-economic
conditions, including through a broad-based national mechanism; and (e) ways to
regularize the process of mutual engagement and cooperation through the good
offices process.
In consultations with Member States, the Secretary-General and the Special
Adviser also reiterated four guiding principles for the implementation of the
Secretary-General’s good offices mandate, namely: (a) the good offices are a process,
not an event, and require sustained engagement through regular visits and
consultations with all concerned; (b) the situation in Myanmar requires
comprehensive engagement on a broad range of political, human rights, humanitarian
and socio-economic issues; (c) engagement cannot be an end in itself, but must yield
concrete results; and (d) the international community needs to continue to work
together constructively in support of the goals of the good offices.
Following the designation, on 8 October 2007, of the Minister for Relations
with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, they both met together five times between November
2007 and January 2008. This marked the first attempt at a dialogue between the
Government and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi since 2003. In addition, for the first time in
four years, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was allowed to meet twice with the Central
Executive Committee of the National League for Democracy (NLD).
On 9 February 2008, the Government of Myanmar for the first time made
public a time frame for the next steps in its political “road map” process towards the
establishment of a civilian and democratic government, announcing that a national
referendum on a draft constitution would be held in May 2008, followed by
multiparty elections in 2010.
On 2 May 2008, cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar, leaving an estimated 140,000
people dead or missing, and an estimated 2.4 million people severely affected. In
response to the cyclone, the Secretary-General visited Myanmar on 22 and 23 May
2008, marking the first visit to that country by a Secretary-General of the United
Nations in 44 years. Following the Secretary-General’s discussions with State Peace
and Development Council Chairman Senior General Than Shwe, access for
international aid workers was facilitated, and a Tripartite Core Group coordination
mechanism was set up between the Government of Myanmar, the United Nations and
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to facilitate an effective largescale
humanitarian response. On 25 May 2008, the Secretary-General returned to
Myanmar to co-chair a joint high-level pledging conference in Yangon with the
Government of Myanmar and ASEAN.
On 10 May 2008, the Government of Myanmar held a constitutional
referendum as planned, despite the Secretary-General’s call to it to dedicate all
available resources to the emergency humanitarian response as a matter of priority.
Voting was postponed to 24 May 2008 in the 47 townships most affected by the
cyclone. On 29 May 2008, the Government announced that the draft constitution had
been formally adopted, with a reported 92.48 per cent approval and 98.12 per cent
turnout of voters.
On 27 May 2008, the Government of Myanmar extended the house arrest of
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. In a statement issued on the same day, the Secretary-
General expressed his disappointment at the Government’s decision and stressed that
the release and ability of all political prisoners to take part in the political process
remained at the forefront of discussions with the Government of Myanmar in the
context of his good offices.
From 4 to 7 August 2008, the new Special Rapporteur for Human Rights,
Tomás Ojea Quintana, made his first visit to Myanmar at the invitation of the
Government. This followed a visit by his predecessor, Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, in
November 2007, at the behest of the Special Adviser, after four years without being
granted access to the country. It also followed the adoption, on 28 March and 18 June
2008, by the Human Rights Council, of two resolutions (7/31 and 8/14) urging
Myanmar, inter alia, to cooperate with the Special Adviser.
Following the official announcement of the adoption of a new Constitution, the
Government of Myanmar has expressed its determination to proceed with multiparty
elections by 2010, the fifth step in its seven-step road map. At the same time, a
number of key stakeholders, including NLD, have formally stated their rejection of
the new Constitution and the process by which it was adopted. Thus, despite the
Government’s efforts in implementing its road map process, the political situation in
Myanmar has become even more complex and challenging, drawing increased
attention from the international community. The Secretary-General and his Special
Adviser have consistently emphasized that only a credible and inclusive political
process — based on mutual understanding and compromise by all stakeholders —
can help to advance the prospects of durable peace, national reconciliation,
democracy and respect for human rights in Myanmar.
In this regard, the support of the international community, including countries
in the region, for the good offices of the Secretary-General and the work of his Special
Adviser continue to be essential to the continuation of those efforts. The Secretary-
General welcomes and encourages the constructive role played by Myanmar’s
neighbours and ASEAN member States in support of his good offices and the work of
his Special Adviser. He further welcomes the April 2008 conclusion by the European
Council on Myanmar and the July 2008 statements by ASEAN, the Group of Eight,
the East Asian Summit, and the ASEAN Regional Forum, which all expressed
support for his good offices and for the continued efforts of his Special Adviser.
While the spirit of cooperation between Myanmar and the United Nations has
been marked by improvement in recent months, including through the visits of the
Secretary-General and of his Special Adviser, it remains a source of frustration that
meaningful steps with tangible results have yet to be taken by the Myanmar
authorities in response to the concerns and expectations of the United Nations and
the international community in the context of the good offices process.
Ultimately, the future of Myanmar rests with the Government and people of
Myanmar. The role of the United Nations is to ascertain the positions of all parties
and facilitate their efforts to work together through dialogue towards a mutually
acceptable process of national reconciliation and democratization, in full respect of
Myanmar’s sovereignty and in accordance with the expectations of the international
community. Independently of any formal process, the political challenges of any
transition to democracy require negotiated political solutions. As the country reaches
a delicate juncture in its political development, there is no real alternative to a
peaceful process of national reconciliation and now is the time for the Government
and opposition alike to find ways to talk to each other and work together in the interest
of the nation, with a view to advancing the shared objectives of peace, prosperity and
democracy as the necessary foundations for long-term stability and development.

Summary:
The present report is submitted pursuant to paragraph 5 of General Assembly
resolution 61/232. During the reporting period, two visits to Myanmar were
undertaken in the context of the Secretary-General's good offices mandate.
Following his first visit in May 2006, the Under-Secretary-General for Political
Affairs undertook a second visit from 9 to 12 November 2006 at the invitation of the
Government. On 22 May 2007, the Secretary-General designated his Special Adviser
on the International Compact with Iraq and Other Political Issues and former
Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Ibrahim Gambari, to continue to
pursue the good offices on his behalf. From June to August 2007, the Special Adviser
engaged in extensive consultations with key interested countries, with a view to
returning to Myanmar as soon as possible. In response to the demonstrations and
crisis that broke out in the country on 19 August, which attracted unprecedented
world attention and generated serious concerns within the international community,
the Secretary-General on 26 September dispatched his Special Adviser to Myanmar,
with the support of Myanmar's neighbours, the States members of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Security Council. The Special Adviser
visited Myanmar from 29 September to 2 October. Each visit to Myanmar included
meetings with both the Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council,
Senior General Than Shwe, and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. In the course of these visits, five key areas of concern to the United Nations
and the international community were identified on which the Government of
Myanmar is expected to deliver concrete results: (a) the release of Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi, or at least an improvement in her detention conditions, and a security
review leading to the release of all political prisoners; (b) the need for a genuinely
inclusive, participatory and transparent political process through which all the people
of Myanmar can contribute to shaping their country's future; (c) the need for better
cooperation with the United Nations and other humanitarian agencies with a view to
ensuring free and unhindered humanitarian access, including the possibility of a
technical assessment mission to border areas; (d) a cessation of hostilities in conflict
areas, including Kayin State; and (e) the need for continued cooperation with the
International Labour Organization on the establishment of a joint mechanism to
evaluate forced labour complaints.
Furthermore, the following guiding principles for the implementation of the
good offices were welcomed by all key interested Member States: (a) the good offices
is not an event but a process that will require sustained engagement through regular
visits and consultations with all concerned; (b) Myanmar presents a complex situation
that cannot be reduced to a single issue â” however important that may be â” but
rather requires engagement on a broad range of political, human rights, humanitarian
and socio-economic topics; (c) engagement cannot be an end in itself, but rather must
yield concrete results; and (d) the international community needs to work together in
order to encourage Myanmar to move in the right direction. Key interested countries
also expressed concern to varying degrees about the situation in Myanmar, support for
the Secretary-General's good offices and appreciation for the Special Adviser's efforts
based on the above principles.
Against a few modest but encouraging steps taken by the Government over the
past year, the tragic events of recent weeks constituted a serious setback for
Myanmar. The main objectives of the Special Adviser's visit to Myanmar during the
recent crisis were threefold: (a) to assess the situation on the ground in the wake of
recent demonstrations; (b) to deliver clear messages from the Secretary-General to
the Myanmar authorities at the highest level in response to the situation; and (c) to
try to promote dialogue between the Government and the opposition as the best path
to ending the crisis and achieving national reconciliation. While the
Secretary-General took note of the initial steps taken by the Government to
de-escalate the crisis following the Special Adviser's visit, he remains concerned
about continuing reports of human rights violations, particularly the excessive use of
force and arbitrary detentions, and calls upon the authorities to put an immediate end
to any abuses. The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement by the
Government of a possible meeting between Senior General Than Shwe and Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi and the subsequent announcement of the appointment of a liaison
officer to establish a channel of communication with her, as suggested by the Special
Adviser. The Secretary-General urges both parties to display maximum flexibility in
order to meet as soon as possible and stands ready to continue to use his good offices
to help facilitate any efforts at dialogue. The Secretary-General further encourages
the Government of Myanmar to seriously consider the recommendations made by his
Special Adviser to address the underlying political and economic factors to the recent
unrest, including the need to release all political prisoners, and the possibility of
establishing a broad-based constitutional review commission and a broad-based
poverty alleviation commission.
A/62/498
07-55746 3
While the Secretary-General recognizes that the responsibility for the future of
Myanmar rests ultimately with the Government and people of Myanmar, he believes
that a return to the status quo that existed prior to the crisis would be unacceptable
and unsustainable. The Secretary-General is thus committed to making every effort,
including through the intensification of his good offices, so that the United Nations
can continue to work in partnership with Myanmar and support its efforts towards
national reconciliation, the transition to democracy and full respect for human rights
as the necessary foundations for long-term stability and prosperity. This will require
the sustained engagement of the United Nations, with the active support of the
international community, including especially the countries in the region. In this
connection, the Secretary-General welcomes the constructive role played by
Myanmar's neighbours and the members of ASEAN, and encourages such efforts to
continue. The Secretary-General also welcomes the Presidential statement adopted
by the Security Council on 11 October 2007 (S/PRST/2007/37) in support of his
good offices mandate, as well as Human Rights Council resolution S-5/1 on the
situation of human rights in Myanmar. The more united the international community
is, the better the prospects for arriving at the shared goals of peace, democracy and
prosperity for the people of Myanmar."

Summary:
"The present report provides details on the good offices efforts undertaken by
the Secretary-General aimed at facilitating national reconciliation and
democratization in Myanmar, in accordance with General Assembly resolution
60/233 of 23 December 2005.
During the reporting period, efforts were made by the United Nations to
re-engage with the Myanmar authorities after no high-level contacts for nearly two
years. Engagement at the appropriate senior level was considered critical if the
Secretary-General was to exercise his good offices, especially after the resignation of
his Special Envoy in January 2006.
A series of discussions with the Government of Myanmar, through its
Permanent Mission in New York, led to the visit to Myanmar by the Under-
Secretary-General for Political Affairs in May 2006. The mission led by the Under-
Secretary-General met with relevant stakeholders and raised issues of concern to the
United Nations directly with the top leadership of the Government of Myanmar.
Some developments have taken place as a follow-up to the mission. However, more
tangible progress is needed, as a genuine process of democratization and national
reconciliation has yet to be launched. While the Government's announcement that
the National Convention would resume on 10 October 2006 is encouraging, there has
been no indication to date that the process will be broadened to include
representatives from the National League for Democracy and certain ethnic
nationality political groups, or that the process will be altered so as to allow more
meaningful involvement by participants. There is also concern over the slow pace
and lack of inclusiveness of the road map process, as nearly three years have elapsed
since its announcement and no clear outcome is yet in sight.
The Secretary-General renews his call upon the Myanmar authorities to
establish a substantive dialogue with the representatives of all ethnic nationality
groups and political leaders. Such a dialogue should commence as soon as possible,
starting with certain confidence-building measures, such as the release of a
substantial number of political prisoners, the lifting of the remaining constraints on
all political leaders, the reopening of offices of the National League for Democracy,
and the inclusion of opposition and certain ethnic nationality groups in the ongoing
road map process. If progress is made, the Secretary-General reiterates his readiness
to help mobilize international assistance in supporting national reconciliation efforts
so that the people of Myanmar can partake in the same benefits of economic, social
and political development as those enjoyed in neighbouring countries."

"...Despite the lack of progress in the national reconciliation process, the Secretary-General
remains committed to offering his good offices. If progress occurs, the Secretary-General is
prepared to do his utmost to mobilize all the necessary international assistance to support the
Myanmar authorities in facilitating their national reconciliation efforts in order to ensure that
the people of Myanmar can partake in the same benefits of economic, social and political
development as are enjoyed in neighbouring countries."

Summary: "The present report is based upon the good offices efforts undertaken by the
Secretary-General and his Special Envoy aimed at facilitating national reconciliation
and democratization in Myanmar, in accordance with General Assembly resolution
59/263 of 23 December 2004.
The Secretary-General believes that the National Convention, which is charged
with drawing up the principles based upon which a new constitution will be drafted,
and the seven-point road map towards democracy announced by the Myanmar
authorities in 2003, have the potential to generate positive change. However, as he
has stressed from the beginning, the road map process should be transparent and allinclusive
in order to ensure its credibility. To date, the National Convention —
whose reconvening in 2004 constituted the first step of the seven-point road map, has
regrettably fallen short of satisfying these basic requirements. The Convention,
which is expected to resume later in 2005, continues to exclude representatives from
many political parties, including the National League for Democracy, and several
ethnic nationality groups, as well as other crucial groups of society. It also fails, in
its present format, to adhere to the recommendations made by successive resolutions
of the General Assembly. The Secretary-General thus reiterates his call upon the
Myanmar authorities to take the necessary steps to make the road map process more
inclusive and credible when the Convention resumes later in 2005, and during
subsequent phases of the road map process, including those for drafting the
constitution and organizing a national referendum.
As a first step towards that end, the Secretary-General encourages the Myanmar
authorities to resume dialogue with the representatives of all ethnic nationality
groups and political leaders. Such a step should commence as soon as possible and
be followed by: further release of political prisoners; the lifting of the remaining constraints on all political leaders; reopening of offices of the National League for
Democracy; and inclusion of the aforementioned groups in the ongoing road map
process. The Secretary-General hopes to see these steps implemented by the first half
of 2006. If progress occurs, the Secretary-General is prepared to do his utmost to
mobilize all the necessary international assistance to support the Myanmar
authorities in facilitating their national reconciliation efforts so that the people of
Myanmar can partake in the same benefits of economic, social and political
development as are enjoyed in neighbouring countries."

Summary:
"The present report is based upon the good offices efforts undertaken by the
Secretary-General and his Special Envoy, Razali Ismail, in facilitating national reconciliation
and democratization in Myanmar, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 59/263
of 23 December 2004.
The Secretary-General has maintained from the very beginning that the National
Convention and subsequent stages in the seven-step road map for transition to democracy put
forth by the Government of Myanmar in 2003 has the potential to be a positive step forward.
He has stressed that to ensure credibility it is essential that the National Convention phase of
the road map, which the Government reconvened in May 2004 to lay the foundations on
which a new constitution is drafted, includes representatives of the National League for
Democracy (NLD), other political parties and ethnic nationality groups, as well as other strata
of society. The Secretary-General has similarly made it clear that all those involved in the
National Convention must also be allowed to speak freely, openly and without restriction on the
matters at hand. To date, however, the National Convention has regrettably fallen short of
satisfying these basic requirements.
On 17 February 2005, the Convention was again reconvened without the participation of
representatives of the NLD and other political parties. Furthermore, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi not
only remains under house arrest, but along with her deputy has also had her detention extended
for a further year. Other political and ethnic leaders have also been arrested or detained, causing
one ceasefire group to boycott the Convention.
Most regrettably, it therefore remains the Secretary-General’s view that the National
Convention, in its present format, does not adhere to the recommendations made by the
General Assembly in successive resolutions. He thus reiterates his call on the Myanmar
authorities, even at this late stage, to take the necessary steps to make the road map process more
inclusive and credible. The Secretary-General also encourages the authorities to ensure that the
third phase of the road map, the drafting of the constitution, is fully inclusive. A national
referendum will be held after that. It is his considered view that unless this poll adheres to
internationally accepted standards of conduct and participation, it may be difficult for the
international community, including the countries of the region, to endorse the result.
In furtherance of this objective, the Secretary-General once again appeals to
the Myanmar authorities to resume without delay a substantive political dialogue with
the representatives of all ethnic nationality groups and political leaders, including
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, to help achieve a genuine process of national reconciliation.
He reiterates the need for the remaining constraints on all political leaders to be lifted, NLD
offices to be allowed to reopen and political prisoners, including elected officials, to be released.
In this context, the Secretary-General renews his readiness to facilitate national reconciliation
efforts among all parties concerned. At the same time, however, he wishes to articulate his
deep concern at the Myanmar authorities’ continued unwillingness to cooperate with his
Special Envoy over the past year. The present situation casts serious doubt on the prospects
for the United Nations to play an effective role as a facilitator in furtherance of the relevant
resolutions of the General Assembly. He urges the authorities to demonstrate their commitment
to a credible process of democratization and national reconciliation by allowing his
Special Envoy to return to Myanmar to continue his facilitation efforts."
"

Summary: The present report is based upon the good offices efforts undertaken by the
Secretary-General and his Special Envoy, Razali Ismail, in attempting to facilitate
national reconciliation and democratization in Myanmar, in accordance with General
Assembly resolution 58/247 of 23 December 2003. The discussions that the
Secretary-General and his Special Envoy have had separately with the Myanmar
authorities during the reporting period focused on the need for the latter to make the
seven-step road map for democratic transition, announced by Prime Minister General
Khin Nyunt on 30 August 2003, a credible vehicle for national reconciliation and
democratization by ensuring that it was all-inclusive and transparent from the
beginning. During his mission in March 2004, the Special Envoy explained the
United Nations position to the Government, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the National
League for Democracy, as well as to representatives of other political parties and
ethnic nationality groups. On 17 May, however, the National Convention was
reconvened without the participation of the National League for Democracy and
some ethnic nationality political parties. Moreover, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her
deputy, U Tin Oo, who had been detained after the Depayin incident of 30 May 2003,
remained under house arrest. Their status remains unchanged at the time of reporting. The Secretary-General is seriously concerned by the absence of an all-inclusive
process of national reconciliation and democratization in Myanmar. Recalling the
assurances given by the Government of Myanmar to his Special Envoy that the road
map process would be all-inclusive, the Secretary-General urges Senior General
Than Shwe and other senior leaders of the State Peace and Development Council to
use the opportunity presented by the 9 July adjournment of the National Convention
to lift, as a matter of priority, the remaining restrictions on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi;
to commence a substantive dialogue with her and her party immediately; to take the
necessary steps to ensure that the National Convention process is all-inclusive and
open; and to ensure that the views of the delegates, including those already
articulated by the ethnic nationality ceasefire groups, are adequately taken into
account. Those actions, if taken, would provide the basis of a credible forum for a
tripartite dialogue among the Government, the National League for Democracy and
ethnic nationalities.
In addition, the Secretary-General calls on the countries in the region, and
especially the member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, to take a
leading role in counselling the State Peace and Development Council to take the
aforementioned steps. He also urges the Council to allow his Special Envoy to
resume regular visits so that he can help to facilitate national reconciliation and
democratization in the country. In that context, the Secretary-General notes with
concern that repeated requests for his Special Envoy to be allowed to return to
Myanmar (and similar requests made by the Special Rapporteur of the Commission
on Human Rights, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro), have, to date, been considered “not
convenient” by the Myanmar authorities. Under the circumstances, there can be no
escaping the conclusion that Myanmar has not cooperated to the maximum extent
possible with the United Nations; consequently, the United Nations facilitation
efforts have not been as effective as they could have been. The Secretary-General is
nevertheless determined to continue providing his good offices, on the basis of
successive General Assembly resolutions and in support of the people of Myanmar,
who have hitherto been prevented from enjoying the same benefits of economic,
social and political development as their counterparts in neighbouring countries.

ADVANCE EDITED
VERSION
Distr.
GENERAL
E/CN.4/2004/30
3 March 2004
Original: ENGLISH
COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
Sixtieth session
Item 9 of the provisional agenda
QUESTION OF THE VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL
FREEDOMS IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD
Situation of human rights in Myanmar
Report of the Secretary-General

"...The present report is based upon the good offices efforts undertaken by the
Secretary-General and his Special Envoy, Razali Ismail, in attempting to facilitate
national reconciliation and democratization in Myanmar, in accordance with General
Assembly resolution 57/231 of 18 December 2002. The discussions that the
Secretary-General and his Special Envoy have had separately with the Myanmar
authorities during this reporting period continued to focus on the issue of how the
United Nations can be of assistance in facilitating the national reconciliation process
in Myanmar. During this period, the optimism that followed the lifting of the
remaining restrictions on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on 11 May 2002 dissipated.
Contrary to the expectations of the Myanmar people, who are overwhelmingly in
favour of change, and the United Nations, there was no substantive progress towards
national reconciliation and democratization in Myanmar. Following the events in
northern Myanmar of 30 May, which resulted in the detention of Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi and other leaders of the National League for Democracy (NLD), Myanmar’s
embryonic and home-grown national reconciliation process, as understood by the
United Nations, was halted. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other NLD leaders still
remain detained and incommunicado at the time of this reporting. The Secretary-
General remains gravely concerned about the safety and well-being of these NLD
leaders and others detained after 30 May and reiterates his call for the Myanmar
authorities to remove, without delay, all the restrictions imposed on their freedom of
movement and political activities. He is also seriously concerned that the absence of 2
A/58/325
progress in the process of national reconciliation and democratization is to the
detriment of the Myanmar people, who voted for change in 1990 and deserve to
experience the same benefits of economic, civil, social and political development as
their counterparts in neighbouring countries. The Secretary-General reiterates his
determination to do his utmost to revive the national reconciliation process if all
parties are willing. He particularly appeals to the leaders of the State Peace and
Development Council to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and commence substantive
political dialogue with her immediately, so that national reconciliation and
democratization in Myanmar can be achieved at an early date, with the participation
of all the interested parties concerned, and in a way that brings immediate and
tangible benefits to the Myanmar people..."

United Nations A/57/484
General Assembly Distr.: General
16 October 2002
Original: English
Fifty-seventh session
Agenda item 109 (c)
Summary:
"The present report is based upon the good offices undertaken by the Secretary-
General and his Special Envoy, Razali Ismail, to facilitate national reconciliation and
democratization in Myanmar, in accordance with General Assembly resolution
56/231 of 24 December 2001. The discussions that the Secretary-General and his
Special Envoy have had separately with the Myanmar authorities during the reporting
period have focused on the issue of how the United Nations, which has been
facilitating the confidence-building talks that started between the Government and
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in October 2000, can be of assistance in moving these
discussions towards a more substantive dialogue. Some significant developments
have taken place, including the restoration of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s freedom of
movement on 6 May. However, substantive dialogue between the Government and
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has not started yet. Concerned that the positive momentum
generated since this spring will be lost unless some tangible progress is made in the
near future, the Secretary-General reiterates his call on the Government and Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi to set aside their differences, unite for the larger cause of national
reconciliation and start their political dialogue as soon as possible so that a national
reconciliation acceptable to all interested parties in Myanmar can be achieved at an
early date.
* The present report is being submitted on 16 October 2002 so as to include as much up-to-date
information as possible..."